“I have horrible menstrual cramps.I take a pain pill when it gets too bad.It doesn’t happen every month.I have found that stress will usually cause it.I’ve had them since this morning but was able to control the pain with Advil until my dad showed up.”
“Sky, do you have the pills with you?”
Sky drew her knees up as another pain raced through her.
“Yes, that was one of the reasons I had to come to town.I needed to pick up my prescription because I was out.”
Jared reached into the side pocket of his truck and pulled out a bottle of water.
“Here, Baby, it’s warm, but I just opened it a few hours ago.Where are the pills?”
Jared reached for the bag she indicated, tore it open, and took out the pill bottle.He read the instructions quickly before shaking out a few of the pills.
“Here, swallow these, Sweetheart.”
Sky sat up on Jared’s lap.The pills went down right before another cramp started.A moan broke from her throat.Damn.It had never been this bad before, and she didn’t know if she could take several more hours of this.She knew she could get a pain shot at the hospital, but it had always been the last resort for her father because they were too expensive.He hadn’t cared that she had been in pain.He’d been worried her moaning would alert the people in the apartment next to them, and the authorities would see the condition she was being raised in and take her.
“Here, Baby,” Jared said and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against his chest.He dropped his hand to her stomach.“Is this where it hurts?”
The heat from his hand that spanned her stomach slid in, loosening the muscles enough for her to take a deep breath.
“Ohhh, that feels so good,” she whimpered and closed her eyes.
Jared kissed the top of her head.“Let’s wait until the pill kicks in, and then I’ll drive us home.”
“You don’t have to do that, Jared.I’ll survive.I always do.Besides, it might take a while for it to be effective.It depends on a lot of factors.”
Several minutes passed silently with just the sound of their breathing.She was surprised it affected him so strongly when a cramp took over her body, and her breathing sped up.
“I don’t like that I can’t help you.”
“You are.The heat from your hand and body feels wonderful.”
By her slurring her words, he guessed the medicine was starting to kick in.“We need to get you home and get you comfortable.”
Sky nodded and slowly sat up with the assistance of Jared’s hand on her back.He buckled her in and reclined her car seat so it would be easier for her to rest.
The medicine was making her body feel heavy, and her thoughts swirled around in her head.Sky vaguely felt the cramps that had wracked her body for hours, but the majority of the pain was reduced because of the drugs.She didn’t like the way they made her feel, but she put up with it because it was so much better than the cramps that would take her breath and leave her midsection achy for days.
****
“Relax back, Baby.We’llbe home soon.”Jared watched as she lay back, turned on her side a bit, and fell asleep instantly.
Before long, he was pulling up in front of the house.He came around the truck and slowly opened the side door, so he wouldn’t wake her.He lifted her and held her against his chest as he made his way up the steps and through the front door.
Abby gasped and clutched the dish towel to her chest.
“What happened to her?”she whispered.
“She’s going to be okay.She sometimes gets bad cramps from her period.”
“What can I do?”
“Nothing right now.I’m taking her to bed.I’ll lie with her.If we’re not down by dinnertime, can you bring us up a tray?I don’t think she’s going to want to be out of bed, because if not for the cramps, then the medicine she had to take for the pain is knocking her out pretty good.”
“You just take care of our girl and call down to the kitchen if you need anything.”
Jared raced up the stairs and lay Sky down on the mattress in their bedroom.
